Why Voter ID Laws Matter & Where

This year, as in almost every election year, there's a huge fight over voter ID laws and their impact on voter turnout and election integrity.. Every state has ID requirements and residency for anyone to cast a ballot, but some states have stricter rules than others.

Fifteen states ,with Republicans have majorities in the state legislature, adopted strict photo ID for voting, such as drivers' licenses. Four of those states have changed this position and now, like the majority of states, allow voters to establish their ID with paper documents, such as bank statements, utility bills, or rental or mortgage payments the match voter registration records.

Sharp legal and political battles have broken out over charges that photo ID laws in states like Alabama, Texas, Georgia and at one point, Virginia, purposefully seek to limit voting and voter turn out among racial minorities, seniors or students.

Texas was taken to court for permitting gun registration and hunting licenses as photo ID but barring student photo IDs from state universities. In North Dakota, native American tribes sued because tribal IDs with photos were disqualified because they dod not normally list street address.